The development of, and changes to, work places continue steadily. It has to be taken into consideration that not only do new work environments (e.g. due to the development of data processing and telecommunications) arise, but that also existing work place fittings should be adjusted to the changing tasks of a work team. Based on this background, it is desirable for the manufacturer and provider of furniture or entire fittings to have a system at hand which enables them to satisfy different needs and which can also be changed after it has been set up (i.e. at a later time) without problems.
The need for an flexible interior fittings system has existed for a long time. Accordingly, a variety of suggestions is available. It has become obvious, however, that most known system solutions are heavily orientated to one application (e.g. subdivision of large office areas, manufacturing of show pieces, shelving systems, etc.).
From documents GM-74 23 372 and GM-75 09 392 we know, e.g., shelving systems where vertical support sleepers are fastened between the floor and the ceiling or on the wall of a room as statically stable structural elements in order to then be able to install rack plates, box elements or containers. The German registered design GM-75 20 557, for example, deals with a wainscot wall that has a base piece so that it can be set up freely in the room. The vertical supports have a certain hole layout so that box elements can be hung at a chosen height.
We know of shelving systems for trade shows from the two publications GM-90 01 437.5 and GM-94 08 676.1. They can be set up in a roomxe2x80x94free-standingxe2x80x94and offer the possibility of arranging storage shelves, small tables or hooks as required. According to GM-90 01 437.5, several vertical supports with feet are connected with other through cross-girders. The shelves are fastened from the front as they would on a wall shelving system. GM-94 08 676.1 plans for a large rectangular frame design where vertical support tubes can be inserted to fasten shelves, etc. Similar to GM-90 01 437.5, all functional elements protrude to the front. And finally, a large number of wall elements are known for dividing and furnishing rooms (e.g. DE40 04 200 A1, DE-24 42 479 A1, EP-0 345 754, U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,944, DE-26 15 235 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,149).
It is the task of the invention to design a modular interior fittings system of the kind described at the beginning which distinguishes itself through its functional variety and which enables the set-up of interior fitting arrangements of high static stability at simultaneous maximum modularity.
Since the structural element is designed as a closed rectangular frame, high stability and torsional stiffness are ensured. The frame is, e.g., 2 m (79 inches) high and 75 cm (30 inches) wide and set up vertically. The functional units (particularly the table tops or work surfaces, the shelving or storage areas and the containers or carcasses etc.) are installed into the frame in such a way that they reach through the plane created by the frame. This avoids among other things too high a load on one side. To stabilize the frame elements in vertical position, a chassis, for example, that stretches vertically to the frame plane is installed on the bottom of the frame. It can be equipped with feet (or sliders) or rollers. Several frames can be connected with each other at an angle via corner connections so that for certain applications (acoustical separating walls or similar) the chassis on the bottom can be done without.
According to a preferred version, the frame has vertical lengthwise sleepers with grooves or ribs to fasten the functional units at any selected height. Also feasible are lengthwise rails with a hole or slot grid so that the fastening can occur with suitable hanging system elements.
If the lengthwise sleepers are designed in such a way that the functional elements can be mounted at any height, the fastening of table tops in exact horizontal alignment can be a laborious task because it requires the use of a ruler or level. To facilitate assembly, for example, a profile insert (e.g. a strip of plastic), which has small notches or nubs at regular intervals, can be integrated into the fastening groove. A fastening element that catches the groove can snap slightly into the notch so that the user has an orientation possibility for the adjusted assembly. We have to stress that the grid of the profile insert in no way limits the freedom of attaching the fastening element at any selected height. It is also possible to fix one element between two grid positions without problems. The grid therefore only represents a kind of integrated ruler that can be used as required. For both aesthetic and practical reasons, it is beneficial if the frame is equipped with conduits for cables and/or wires. This way the frame and the entire interior fittings system can be supplied elegantly with electricity and/or equipped for data communication. It is not absolutely necessary that all four sides of the frame have cable conduits. It could possibly be sufficient if one or two lengthwise sleepers and perhaps one narrow side are equipped with such conduits.
According to one particularly preferred version, a conductor rail is integrated into a lengthwise conduit of the frame, where at least two conductors planned for current-carrying are arranged. The conductor rail is accessible via a lengthwise slot in the profile support (frame). With a suitably designed plug, the conductors can be contacted at any location. For safety reasons, the conductors are arranged in the conduit in such a way that they cannot be touched without difficulty (e.g., it should not be possible to touch the current-carrying conductors with a screwdriver).
The frame (particularly the lengthwise sleeper) has, for example, an S-shaped or Z-shaped profile. This profile is axially symmetrical and forms both the fastening groove and the cable conduit. The diagonal support or connecting piece of the S-shaped profile can have double walls to increase stability. The Z-shaped and/or S-shaped profile can (in its cross-section) have a round or square outer shape. Basically, however, any cross-section shapes are possible (regular polygons such as triangles, hexagons, heptagons, but also asymmetrical shapes such as L-shape, or similar).
The frame can consist of side pieces that are screwed or welded together. Preferably, the lengthwise sleepers are designed as vertical hollow sections (e.g. of the kind as described above). As narrow sides of the frame serve, for example, cross-bows that are connected rigidly with the hollow sections. Good stability can be achieved by fastening the cross-bows with screws or clamping and/or straddle wedge elements, which catch the lengthwise sleepers at the end.
The chassis can have various shapes. In the plane vertical to the frame plane, it can, for example, form an H-shaped design on the end of which feet, gliders or rollers can be installed. Another possibility consists of fastening a bottom plate underneath the frame. Since such a plate has no protruding legs, it also minimizes the risk of someone tripping over the chassis. (This is particularly important, e.g., for rooms accessible to the public).
It is beneficial if a carcass is built onto the chassis. Through its weight it increases the vertical frame""s stability. The height of the carcass can be determined as needed. Beyond that, table tops, separating wall plates, presentation racks, screen fastenings and/or equipment fastening can be provided for. Another frame can be added (aligned or at an angle different from 180xc2x0) on the side to such a stabilized structural element. The corner connection used for that can, e.g., be inserted on the connecting area between the lengthwise sleeper and the bow. The connecting elements can be prefabricated single-piece moldings that define a certain connection angle. I.e. the furniture system comprises a number of different connecting elements, which are utilized as needed by the user. It is also possible, however, to provide for a single molding that can be fastened in various angular positions on the corners of the frame. In this connection, it is of advantage if the corner connection has an angled grid (e.g. 15xc2x0 grid) to ensure good stability.
Based on the structural element in accordance with the invention, a most diverse variety of interior fittings (work places in the office, workshop and service areas) can be set up. It also allows the selection and utilization of individual pieces of furniture (carcasses, boxes, separating walls) for special applications without difficulty.
The following detailed description and summary of patent claims shows other advantageous versions and combinations of features of the invention.